A WHOPPING 40 new and free TV channels are hitting a major Fire Stick rival – and the extraordinary list even includes live sport.
The new channels are set to be launched next month, and it marks one of the firm’s biggest content expansions of all time.
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Roku is rolling out FAST channels, Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV – one of the biggest announcements the firm has made since it arrived in the UK over a decade ago.
The streaming content will be 24/7, cost no extra cash, and be available on all new and existing Roku devices.
FAST channels are the streaming equivalent of traditional TV channels.
They are constantly on, you cannot choose specific programmes on demand, and they are based around certain themes.
The channels will also have advert breaks every so often.
The main difference between the groundbreaking FAST services and traditional TV is that streaming is delivered over the internet, rather than aerial or satellite.
Big names revealed include PGA TOUR for golf lovers, This Old House for DIY fans, and Unsolved Mysteries for true crime addicts.
Animal lovers are also in luck, with NatureTime serving up stunning wildlife shows and Love Pets dedicated to pet owners.
Roku bosses promise a mix of entertainment, lifestyle, crime, documentaries and classic telly to keep everyone engaged.
Richard Halton, Country Manager, Roku UK, said: “With the launch of our first FAST channels in the UK this October, we’re giving viewers more choice than ever before.
“From iconic series and films to new favourites and niche genres – all for free.”
Looking at Roku in the US will give viewers a better understanding of what to expect on the UK one.
Specific channels are dedicated to shows such as Hell’s Kitchen and Kitchen Nightmares.
And other theme-centred channels focus on things like sci-fi or reality TV.
The new FAST channels will be available through The Roku Channel app.
Streamers can also access them on the new Live TV Zone – a feature that’s been out in the US since 2022.
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Price cut
It comes after Roku slashed the price of its latest streaming stick, making the brand even cheaper than the fire stick.
A slew of the brand’s products have seen their prices reduced as the company looks to streamline viewers’ experience.
Roku launched the Streaming Stick (HD) and Streaming Stick Plus in June.
The Streaming Stick 4K was launched in 2021 and remains on the market.
All three of these devices simply plug into your TV’s HDMI and the two newest models can run off USB power.
Now, Roku has slashed the price of the products and you could save a huge amount of money.
The HD streaming stick was £29.99 and now costs just £24.99, though it has older WiFi standards and half the RAM of the other sticks.
The Roku Streaming Stick Plus costs just £29.99, after previously costing £39.99
Meanwhile, Roku has reduced the cost of its Streaming Stick 4k to just £44.99.
The Amazon Fire TV Stick, costing £25.99, is now slightly more expensive than the cheapest Roku option.
TV channels on the decline?
A beloved TV channel shut down this week after more than a decade of broadcasting.
Notts TV could be found on Freeview and Virgin Media to those in and around Nottinghamshire, as well as other parts of the East Midlands including Leicester and East Derbyshire.
The channel was mostly been a source for locally-made productions, but it aired repeats of TV shows including documentary series Walks Around Britain and classic movies.
It was owned by Nottingham Trent University (NTU) and run by experienced producers and journalists working alongside students.
MORE CHANNEL CLOSURES TO COME?
Analysis by Jamie Harris, Assistant Technology and Science Editor at The Sun
Everyone is streaming these days so it’s no wonder linear broadcast channels are struggling.
The BBC announced in 2022 that CBBC and BBC Four would disappear as traditional linear channels in a few years and go digital only via iPlayer.
However, the pair may have had a bit of a reprieve for now, after the BBC’s head of children’s programmes, Patricia Hildago, recently said “it’s really important… that if children still need us on a linear network, we’re going to be there for them”.
When Channel 4 announced the closure of The Box and other music channels it owned in January, the broadcaster hinted that more could come.
At the time the company said it was proposing to “close small linear channels that no longer deliver revenues or public value at scale, including the Box channels in 2024 and others at the right time”.
So which could the “others” be? It really depends what Channel 4 considers “small” but its other channels include More4, E4, E4 Extra, Film4 and 4Seven.
